Indian actress Suchitra Sen dies

MANIK BANERJEE
Associated PressPublished: January 20, 2014 7:20AM

KOLKATA, India (AP) -- Suchitra Sen, India's legendary actress known for her memorable roles in both Bengali language and Bollywood films, died Friday after a cardiac arrest, her daughter said. She was 82.

Sen was hospitalized in Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal state, more than three weeks ago for treatment of a respiratory tract infection, said Moon Moon Sen, who is also an actor.

She will be cremated later Friday.

Suchitra Sen started acting in 1952 and reigned supreme for 26 years. Sen won fame in the Bengali films, especially co-starring with actor Uttam Kumar. The two become the icons for Bengali melodramas and romantic movies through the 1960s and the 1970s. Her most memorable Bengali films included 'Agnipariksha," ''Devdas' and "Saat Paake Bandha."

The doe-eyed beauty shunned appearing in public after her retirement from films in 1978. She acted in 57 Bengali and seven Hindi films.

Suchitra Sen made her debut in Bollywood with the film "Devdas" in 1955 co-starring with Dilip Kumar, another legendary actor, and won the best actress award for the movie. Another big Bollywood hit was "Aandhi," where she played the role of a politician inspired by the life of the then Indian prime minister, Indira Gandhi.

She was the first Bengali actress to be honored at an international film festival. She was picked as the best actress for her role in "Saat Paake Bandha," a Bengali language film, at the 1963 Moscow film festival. The Indian government honored her with "Padma Shri, " a top civilian award, in 1972.

Suchitra married Dibanath Sen, an industrialist, in 1947 before launching her successful acting career. Her husband died in early 1970s.